Mattress machine



Dec. 8 1925- H. B. LINDSAY MATTRESS MACHINE Filed May 14. 1925 2 sheets-sheet 1 v Mw@ ZZQS@ H. B. LINDSAY MATTRESS MACHINE Filed May 14, 1?:5

Dec. s, 1925.

2 sheets-sheet 2 45' l J" y ,Imm

- Illl Paternal De... 8.1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE.

I HARVEY B. LINDSAY, 0F OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO DRY ZERO CORPORA- TION, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION'OF DELAWARE.

MATTRESS MACHINE.

' Application meanay 14, 1925. serial No. 30,393.

To all 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, HARVEY B. I JIEDSAY, a citizen ofv the United States, resldlng at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and' machines for forming bodies composed of a casing or covering, as for example, of cloth fabric, and filling located .therebetween formed of separate fibres, and more articularly to bodies, such for example, as t iermalinsulating bodies, or cushioning bodies such as bedding-mattresses, the illing of which is of relatively soft material, as for example, kapok, and extends in the casing in relatively loose or luiiy condition, as for example, in the case o kapok in such a condition-as is produced by providing approximately one pound of the kapok to each cubic foot of space lled thereby..

Considerable difficulty has heretofore been presented in ,the securing together at the edges of such mattressbodies,.tle sheets of casing 'material disposed at opposite" faces of the filling in a position in which they cap one of the sheets without unduly distorting the `filling, orproducing waves in the sheets of casing material due to the factv that the v filling is relatively yielding and presents slight resistance only tov forces tending to distort it in a direction crosswise of its length.'

One of my objects is to provide improvements in machines of the general character stated to the end that the edges of the sheets of casing material will be turned, or folded, to -form closures at the opposite lateral edges of the casing, and in such condition stitched, without unduly distorting the mass of filling crosswise of its length, especially when the lling is in relatively soft flu'y condition.

" as for example, where it is composed of kapok; or producing waves in the sheets of casing material; wherebyl the finished body will be of substantially the same width throughout its extent as the mass of filling asproduced in the'former. i y

Another object is to provide arelatively compact construction of folder; to provide a z construction of folder' adapted for adjustment to .meet varying conditions presented by the filling and the casing material; and

generally, to so improve upon machines of 'K the general character above stated, that an improved product will be produced thereby.

l Referring to the accompanying drawlngszf Figure 1 is aplan viewv of a machine in which my improvements are incorporated.. Figure 2 is a broken plan view of one edge portion of the machine with certain partsl broken away.' Figure 3`is an enlarged plan view of one of the two similar turning, or folding, devices forming parts of the machine of Figs. land 2. Figure 4 is an enlarged section taken at the line 4 on Fig. 2 andviewed in the direction of the arrow 7ov with4 the body being formed, omitted. Fig- -ure 5 is a view like Fig. 4rlshowing the adjacent portion of .the body being formed. Figure 6 is a broken cross-sectional view, of an edge portion of the completed body. Figure 7 is a section taken at the line I on Fig. 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrow; and Figure 8,.a section taken at the line 8 on Fig. and viewedin the direction of the arrow f y f While my invention is applicable to a varietyv of 'machines of the general character stated, I have chosen to illustrate it in` a machine of the general character disclosed in my pending application for U. S. patent'Serial No. 1509, filed January 9th,

1925, a brief description of certain features of which is includedv in the following delarly flaring passage therethrough which f v opens at the smaller end 11 of the section 10 into a conduit 12 which leads from a sourcev (not shown) of the fibre material, as for example, kapok, the fibres ofwhich are in loose condition, and through 4which conduit vthe fibres are forced, as by air pressure into and through the passage in 'the section 10. The .side walls of the section 10, which are aced apart at the discharge 'end of this section, a distance corresponding substantially to the width of the body to be produce extend, as represented at 13;, beyond the top and bottom walls 14 and 151,. respectively, of the section 10 and through a former-device 16, the upper and lower parallel walls of which represented at 17 and 18, respectively, and' apertured at 19 and 2() to permit of the escape of the fibre-transporting air, extend laterally beyond the side wall extensions 13 and are vertically spaced therefrom as shown at 21 and 22, the same vertical spacing beingy provided between the upper and lower walls 14 and 15 of the conduit 'l0 and the opposing upper and lower walls 17 and 18 of the former-device 16 l(Fig. 8). The ends of the upper and lower wall portions 17 and 18 of the formes` 16 are connected together, beyond the side wall portions 13, by end walls 23, whereby the front and rear portions of the former 16 are open to receive the filling and casing material from which the body is to be formed, and permit of the passage of the same therethrough.

At a point in advance of the former-device 16 the machine is provided with rolls 24 and 25 of the material to form the casing, these rolls being supported above and below, respectively, the section 10, with the free ends of the rolls extending into the former 16 through the space between the walls 14 and 15 and the walls 17 and 18,

`and between the last-referred-to walls and the filling fed into the former and represented at 26, which filling is continuously fed to the former 16 as the filling and easing material is drawn therethrough, as hereinafter described, the filling 26 filling the space between the sheets 24 and 25 of the casing material and the` end walls 13 extending into the former 16.

Beyond the former the machine isprovided with stitching mechanisms comprising a plurality of ,stitchers 27 carried by the 'frame of the machine and operated through the medium of a driving shaft common thereto and driven from any suitable source. The stitchers 27 may be of any desirable construction, suoli as are commonly used in the manufacture of stitched pads of various kinds, and are operated in any desirable manner to produce lines of stitching through the body composed of the filling 26 and the sheets 24 and 25 of casing material, these lines of stitching extending parallel with each other and in a direction lengthwise of the body being formed.

The stitchers 27 at each end of the series thereof, and which are provided to stitch through the lateral edge portions ofthe filling and the casing material, are arranged lsubstantially in line with feed rollers journalled on the frame of the machine to exltend crosswise thereof and above and bereferred to, namely, the uppermost one thereof, is illustrated in the drawin s, this roller being indicated at 29 and drlven in any suitable manner as through the medium of the belt pulley 31 thereon.

interposed between the former 16 and the stitchers 27, and disposed at opposite sides of "the machine, are devices, represented generall at 32 for engaging those edges of the sieets 24 and 25 of casing material which extend laterally beyond the end walls 13 of the section 10, and folding theseedge portions upon themselves to overlietlhe intermediate portion of the upper sheet 24 of casing material preparatory to stitching these edge portions in place by the end ones of the stitchers 27, these devices each comprising a turning, or folding, member represented generally at 33 and shown as formed of sheet metal and having an extension 34 at its lower edge which fits liatwise against a part ofthe stationary frame of the machine, to which latter the device 33 is secured as by the screws 35. Each member 33 is formed to present two plate portions 36 and 37, each of angle sha e as shown and spaced apart preferably uniformly throughout their extent, as represented, these plate portions extending at their up er, horizontal, portions 38 and 39, respectively, toward the center ofthe machine as shown and -connected together at their inner edges, as represented at 40, it being preferred that each of the members 33 be formedfrom a sheet of metal bent into the form described and shown. The lower edges of the' vertical portions 41 of the inner plate members 36, which latter form guides for the casing material 24 and 25, arespaced apart a distance substantially equal to the distance between the side walls 13 plus double the thickness of the-casing material, or, in other words, these vertical portions 41 extend in slightly outwardly offset position relative to the side walls 13, the extreme lower edges of the ortions 41 of the guide member36 extending above the under side of the sheet 25 of Casin material, a distance equal to substantlally twice the thickness of the sheets of the casmg material, as shown in Figs. 4

and 5. The upper horizontal portions 42 of .16. B preference, the plate members 37 are space from the opposing portions of the 4plate members 36, a distance suicient'ly more than twice the-thickness of a sheet of the casing material to allow free passage thereof therebetween, as lshown in Fig. 5. y

Cooperating with each of the turning, or folding, devices described, is a spiked wheel 43, journaled at shaft portions 44 inbearings mounted on a revolubly adjustable ring 46 carried by the upperplate member 37, the plates 37 having clamping bolts 47- the horizontal portions 39 of the plates 37, and the spikes 49 project into recesses formed in t e upper surfaces of the horizontal portions 38 of the plates 36, by striking the metal of theportions 38 downwardly, as represented at 51.

In the beginning o f the operation ofthe vmachine, the operator grasps the lateral edges of the sheets 24 and 25 o-f the casing material after the' free ends ,thereof pass beyond the former-device 16 and inserts them into the angle shaped guideways provided between the plates 36 and 37 at opposite sides of the machine, to the position illustrated in Fig. 5,l ositioning these free edges'beneath the spi ed wheels 43 at the opposite sides of the machine, the spikes at the lower portions of which penetrate both thicknessesof the casing material at the upper face of the bod bein formed; and thereupon draws the ee en of the partially formed body into a position in which the body becomes positioned to be acted upon the stitchers 27, and then by the feeding device of which the rollers 30 are parts, it being understood that feed of the fibre filling continues during this operation, for continuing the forming of the mass of filling 1n the former 16 Abetween the sheets 24 and 25 of .casing material, the machine thereafter automatically operating to continue the forming, edge-turning and folding and stitching and feeding operations referred to.

In the movement of the body being formed the free edges of the casing material are automatically turned, or folded, to a position in which vthey are superposed upontheintermediate portions of the sheet 24. as shown in Fig. 5 as to the edge portions of the sheets 24 and 25 along one side of the body being formed, by the conjoint action ofthe turning. or folding, devices 33 and the lspiked wheels 43, the axes ofwhich latter diverge in a direction awaygfrom t-he former 16 which causes these wheels to rotate by the turning force exerted against them in the lfeed of the body being formed through the machine, as stated, to exert a constant pull on the free edges of the casing material engaged by the spikes of these wheels, from opposite sides of the machine toward the center thereof, it being understood that the Adegree of pulling force exerted by the wheels depends'on the anglev at which their axes of rotation extend relative to the line of. travel of the body being formed. lBy properly rotatably adjusting the rings 46 carrying the wheels 43, and by drawing the;lower sheet 25 of casing material sufficiently taut crosswise of the length of the body being formed, in the preliminary positioning of the edgesA of the casinor material inthe turning, or folding, mem'lier's 33 and into engagement with the spiked wheels 43, as above stated, the desired tension on the edges of the casing material may be exerted for folding them tothe position shown in Fig. 5- and cau ing them to extend in smooth condition rom edge to edge of the-formed body.

The lside edges of the sheets 24 and 25 of casing material having been turned, as stated, the end ones 0f the stitchers2f?, in the continued movement of the body through the machine, stitch through the lower and upper sheets 24 and 25 ofthe casing material, the superposed turned edges of this material i and the filling 26, as indicated, as to one edge of the body', at 52 in Fig. 6, to close the casing along the side edges of the mattress body.

It will be yobserved that by providing the vertical portions 41 the sheet 25 is drawn against the lower edges of this portion which projects the adjacent edges of the' filling 26 against exertion of' force by the sheet 25 in the turning, or folding, operation and thus the ed es of the sheets 24 and 25 are turned, or fo ded, as stated without compacting the filling crosswise of the body being formed and both sheets are caused to be in smooth condition.

It will. ybe noted that by providing the recesses 51 in the plates 36 the spikes 49 are permitted to penetrate both layers of the casin .sheets located between the plates 3G. and 3 to effect a draining action on both of the sheets (these sheets not curving downwardly into these recesses because they are drawn taut), but are prevented from penetrating those portions of the sheets which cover the filling and extend directly beneath the plates 36 which penetration would occur if the plates 36 were slotted instead of being merely recessed as stated and in the event of such penetration would interfere with the proper operation of the spikedv wheels.

While I have illustrated and described a particular embodiment of my invention and have shown it as incorporated ina particular type machine, I do not wish to be understood as intending to Y limit it thereto as various modifications and alterations may. be made in the structure shown, and the vchines without departing from t e spirit of my invention. f

What I claim as new,'and desireto sethe combi ation with a former in which ment ofsai'd sheets to folt the edge-porl. In amachine of the eharacter set'forth, the combination with a former in which the combination with a former in which filling material lextends between spaced filling material extends between spaced sheets of casing'material and is fedtheresheets of cas-ing materialv and is fed therethrough, of means for folding the edge-porthrough, of means operating in the movetions of said sheets beyond said .filling inment of said sheets to fold the edge-porto a position in which theyflatwise oppose tions of said sheets beyond said filling into One of said sheets, comprising guide-ineina position in which they flatwise oppose bers having portions which extend along the 'one of said sheets, and means for stitching side surfaces of said filling and against said folded which said edge-portions of said sheets' are thereby. folded, andspiked'wheels rotatably mount- 2. Ina machine of the character set forth, ed in a position in which their spikes engage the combination with a former in which fillsaid folded edge-portions of said sheets, the ing material extends between spaced sheets axes of said wheels diverging in thedirecof casing material and is fed therethrough, tion .of movement of said filling and sheet-s of means operating in the movementof said thlOligh the machine. sheets to fold the opposed edge-portions of 7. In a machine of the character set forth, Said Sheets beyond Seid filling into a posi? the combination with a former in which tion in which they fiatwise oppose each other iflllmg material eXtends between spaced and together fiatwise oppose one of said sheetsof casing material and is fed theresheets, and means for stitching` said folded through, of. means for folding the edge-porportions t() the Sheet lapped thereby, tiOIlS Of's'ald Sheets beyOIid Said filling i11- 3. VIna machine of the character set forth, 'C0 a pOSltlon in winch they fiatwise oppose the combination with a former in which fill- One 0f said sheets, comprising guide-meining material extends between spaced sheets b ers having portions which extend along the of casing material and is fed therethrough, S1 1e and upper Surfaces of said filling and of means operating in the movement of against which said edge portions of said portions to the sheet lapped `said sheets to fold the edge-portions of said SheeiSS are 'Olded, the lower edges of said sheets beyond said filling into a position guide members extending adjacent the lower in .which they flatwise oppose one of Said face of 'said,.fi1l 1ng sheets, comprising guide-members -having S- I I1 a machine of the character set forth, peri-,ions which extend along the Side surtheV combination with a former in which faees 0f seid filling and against which Seid@- filling material extends between spaced edge p0rti0ns of Said Sheets are folflell sheets of casing material and is fed there- 4, In L maehineef the Character Set fol-th, through, of means for folding the edge-porthe comb-ination with a former in which filltions of said sheets beyond the filling into a ingmaterial vextends between spaced sheets. position in which they fiatwise oppose one' of casing material and is fedtherethrough, 0f Said Sheets, Comprising guide-members of means operating in the movement of said having portions which extend along the side sheets-'gto fold the edge-portions of said and. upper surfaces of said filling and sheetsbeyond said filling into a position in yagainst which said edge-portions of said which they flatwise oppose one lof ',saidsheets are folded, the lower edges 0f Said sheets, comprising guide-members having guide-members extendingY adjacent the lower portions which extend along the side surface of said filling, and means engaging said faces of said filling'and against which said edge-portions of said sheets for drawing edge-portions of said sheets are folded, and them toward each other.

means engaging said-edge-portionsof said sheets for'drawing them toward eadh other. the combination with a former in which 5. In a machine of the character set forth,` filling material extends between j spaced p sheets of casing material and is fed therefilling ma erial extends between spaced through, of means for folding the edge-porsheets of casingfmaterial and is fed theretions of said sheets beyond the filling into a through, of means operatinc in the moveposition in which they flatwise oppose one of i said sheets, comprising'guide-members havtions of said 'sheets .beyond said filling ining portions which extend along the side vand to a position in which they flatwise oppose upper surfaces of said filling and against one of said sheets, comprising guide-memwhichwsaid edge-portions of said sheets are bers having portions which extend along the folded, the lower edges of said guide-meinside surfaces ofl said filling and against bers extending adjacent the lower face of which said edge-portions of said sheets vare said filliiig,"and spiked wheels rotatablyC f folded, and means operated by the feed of mounted above the portions of said guideiis the fillingl and sheetsthrough the machine members which oppose the upper surface of for drawing said edge-portions toward each said filling, in al position in which their other. spikes engaged said folded edge-portions ofy 6. In a machine of the character set forth, said sheets, the axes of said wheels diverging llfl 9. In a machine offthe character set forth, A

in the direction of movement of said filling and sheets through the machine.

10. In a machine of the character set forth,I the combination with aI former in. which filling material extends between spaced sheets of casing material and is fed i lo therethrough, of means for folding the edgeportions of said sheets beyond said filling into a position in which they fiatwise oppose one of said sheets, comprising inner andeuter guide-members of angle shape and spaced apart, said inner guide-members extending at certain portions thereof along the side surfaces of said filling and at other portions along the upper surface of said filling and against which inner guides said edgeportions of said sheets are folded.

11. In a -machine of the character set forth, the combination with aformer in which filling material extends between spaced sheets of casing material and is fed therethrough, of means ,for folding the edgeportions of said sheets beyond said 4filling into al position' in which they flatwise oppose one'of said sheets, comprising inner and outer guide-members of angle shape and spaced apart, said inner guide-members extending at certain 4portions thereof alongthe side surfaces of said filling and at other portions along the upper surface of said lling and against which inner guides said edge-portions of said sheets are folded, and ,means engaging said edge-portions of said "sheets for drawing them toward each other. A'

12. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination with a former in which filling material extends between spaced sheets of casing material'- and is fed therethrough, of means for foldingthe edgeportions of. said sheets beyond said filling into a position in which they flatwise oppose one of said sheets, comprisinginner and outer guide-members of angle shape and spaced apart, said inner guide-members extending at certain portlons thereof along the side surfaces of said vfilling and at other portions along the upper surface of said filling and against which inner guides sa1d edges of the sheets are folded, and spiked wheels rotatably mounted on those portions of said outer v guide-members which oppose the upper surface of said filling in a position in'which their spikes engage said folded edge-portions of said sheets, the axes of said wheels diverging in the direction of movement of said filling and sheets throu h the machine, the lower edges of said guide members extending adjacent the lower face of said filling.

13. In `a machine of the character set forth, the combination 'with a former in which filling material extends between spaced sheets-of casing material and is fed t erethroughfof means for folding the op'- I posed edge-portions of said sheets beyond of said wheels diverging in the direction of movement of said fillin-g and sheets through the machine.

14. In a machine of the character s e t forth, the combination with a former 1n which filling material extends between spaced sheets of casing material and is fed therethrough, of means for folding the opposed edge-portions of said sheets beyond said filling at each side of thelatter, into a position in which they flatwise oppose each other and lap one of said sheets, comprising guide-members having portions which extend along the sides and upper surfaces of said filling with their lower edges adjacent the lower face o'f said filling, and spiked wheels rotatably mounted in a position in which/their spikes penetrate both of said sheets at the portions thereof fiatwise opposing one sheet thereof, as above stated, at both lateral edges of said filling, the axes of said wheels diverging in the direction 1 of movement of said filling and sheets through the machine, andv means for stitching. t e folded edge-portions -of said sheets to the sheet' which they lap. V

15. In a machine of the character setl posed edge-portions of said sheets beyond said filling at each side of the latter,V into a position in which they flatwise oppose each other and lap one of said-sheets, comprising guide-members each formed of spaced apart inner and outer guide forming plates of angle shape presenting an angular channel therebetween, portions of each of said plates extending along the adjacent edge of said filling and otherportions extending along the upper surface of said filling at its edgeportions, said portion of said outer plate extending along the upper surface of said filling containing anopening and the opening portion of said inner plate containing a depressed portion presenting an upwardlyopening recess directly below said opening, and a spiked wheel'revolubly mounted on said outer plate to extend vdownwardly through said opening therein and at its spikes into said recess, the axes of' said wheels diverging in the direction of movement of said filling and sheets.

16. In 'a machine of -the character set forth, the combination4 with a former in which filling material extends between spaced sheets of easing material and is fed therethrough, of guide means adapted in the feeding of said ling and sheets to engage the edge-portions of said sheets beyond sand filling and turn said edge-portions into a position in Which they lap one of said sheets, and-spiked, rollers rotatably supported to engage at'their spikes with the folded edgeortions of said sheets, their axes divcrging 1n the direction of movement of said filling and sheets through the machine, said wheels being adapted for bodily adjustment to vary the an le at which they diverge.

through said former, of means operating in.

the movement of said sheets to fold the projecting edge-portions of asaid sheets into a position in which they lap one of said sheets, and means for stitching said folded portions to the sheet lapped thereby.

HARVEY B. LNlDSAY. 

